Tag: mpox

Crucial Week: Committee to Rule on Whether Mpox Remains a Public Health Emergency

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Sixteen months after the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), the Emergency Consultative Group (ECG) is set to meet this week to decide whether the outbreak should be lifted as a PHECS or maintained. This follows months of surveillance and monitoring, with data suggesting the outbreak is steadily declining as countries intensify case detection, treatment services and community outreach in affected hotspots. According to Africa CDC, confirmed cases fell from a peak six-week average…

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Zimbabwe Steps Up Disease Surveillance at Borders Through Epidemiologist Training

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe has strengthened its frontline disease surveillance capacity with the graduation of 44 health workers from the Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Programme (ZimFETP). The three-month training targeted officers stationed at ports of entry and epidemiologists working within city health departments, equipping them with practical skills to detect, investigate, and respond swiftly to outbreaks. Of the graduates, 20 were drawn from land borders and international airports while 24 came from city health departments across the country. The training was designed to close gaps in disease detection and response…

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Malawi Launches Second Edition of Pathogen Genomic Surveillance Strategy and Implementation Plan

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The Malawi Ministry of Health, launched its updated plan for the implementation of its Genomic Surveillance Strategy that was produced with technical support from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI) on 3 July. As pathogen genomics provides a powerful approach towards the investigation, management, and surveillance of infectious diseases, the plan is geared to include integration of multi-pathogen genomic surveillance into existing public health systems, research and development. The second version of the plan is aligned to Africa…

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Africa’s Cholera Crisis Demands Continental Action

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Africa is currently battling five major infectious disease outbreaks: Mpox, Measles, Dengue, Lassa Fever, and Cholera. Among these, Cholera has emerged as the deadliest, quietly eclipsing the rest in scale and lethality. Yet, despite its heavy toll, it remains under-prioritized. In 2024, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), a bold step triggered by its rapid transmission across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone, and Uganda. That response was swift and strategic,…

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Africa Faces 95% Mpox Vaccine Gap Amid Delayed Global Support

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Africa is facing a critical shortfall in Mpox vaccine supply, with only 219,000 doses available out of the 6.4 million needed by August 2025 — a gap of more than 95%, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in 2022, vaccine access across the continent remains alarmingly low, raising concerns of a repeat of the COVID-19 vaccine inequity crisis. Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Chief Advisor to the Africa…

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Africa’s Mpox Fight Faces Setback Without Urgent Delivery of 6 Million Vaccine Doses

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa As Mpox infections continue to surge in parts of Africa, health experts are sounding the alarm over a critical shortage of vaccines that threatens to derail the continent’s response efforts. Despite signs of a decline in cases in countries such as Uganda and Burundi, Africa’s stockpile of Mpox vaccines is rapidly depleting, prompting calls for urgent international support. The warning comes as Sierra Leone experiences an exponential rise in new infections. In the past three weeks alone, the country has accounted for 58.2 percent of all confirmed…

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Africa CDC to Convene Emergency Meeting to Review Mpox Public Health Status

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following a sustained decline in reported Mpox cases across Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is set to convene an Emergency Consultative Group (ECG) meeting with experts to determine whether Mpox should still be classified as a public health emergency. In August 2024, Africa CDC declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS)—the first such declaration since the agency’s inception in 2017. However, recent evidence from contact tracing and screening interventions suggests a notable reduction in Mpox-related morbidity and mortality…

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Africa CDC to Convene Emergency Meeting to Review Mpox Public Health Status

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following a sustained decline in reported Mpox cases across Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is set to convene an Emergency Consultative Group (ECG) meeting with experts to determine whether Mpox should still be classified as a public health emergency. In August 2024, Africa CDC declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS)—the first such declaration since the agency’s inception in 2017. However, recent evidence from contact tracing and screening interventions suggests a notable reduction in Mpox-related morbidity and mortality…

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Rampant Sexual Networks Hinder Mpox Response in Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Efforts to curb the spread of Mpox among African Union member states remain a challenge due to widespread and interconnected sexual networks, HealthTimes has learned. Uganda currently leads in new Mpox cases, accounting for 50% of all recorded infections in Africa over the past six weeks. The majority of cases in Uganda stem from the Clade 1B strain, which is sexually transmitted. Uganda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have collectively recorded 94% of confirmed cases since the beginning of the year. Speaking during the…

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Diseases Linked to Wearing Second-Hand Clothes (Mabhero)

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In Zimbabwe, second-hand clothes, locally known as mabhero, have become a popular choice for many due to several reasons. For some, it’s the affordability compared to buying brand-new garments. For others, it’s the allure of vintage fashion, pre-worn items that carry a unique, weathered charm. Major second-hand clothing hubs in Zimbabwe include Sakubva Market in Mutare, as well as Mupedzanhamo and Avondale Markets in Harare. These markets are so popular that even undergarments, such as high-end brands like Victoria’s Secret, are highly sought after by shoppers, especially…

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